A Critical Examination of the Beliefs about Learning a Foreign Language at Primary School



Teacher:, What about 'grandmere', 'tantes, and 'oncle,?'

Answers given are correct

Teacher asks French native-speaker in class for English answers

He Strugggles with English for female cousin

Teacher explains that there is only one word in English for both male and
female cousin

A lot Oftranslation at this stage into English but this seems to keep class
involved

Tape is difficult to understand so teacher starts repeating French and checking
in English

Some wild guessing here, pupils have clearly not understood

Even one of the brighter girls offers: 'Is this your mum?' for ,Je n,ai pas de...'
'Je suis fils unique' is translated by one boy as Tm a boy'

Next exercise is to fill in figures for number of brothers and sisters people on
tape have.

Many struggle with this exercise as they do not seem to understand.

Poor sound quality of tape but despite teacher repeating French several times
some still don't get it

Many expect the speakers to say something about brothers and sisters even if
picture clearly shows they only have the one or the other.

They ask me 'how do we know miss who is speaking?

They don't understand that the person who says ,Je m'appelle ..., is the one
who is speaking.

Teacherchecks answers in French: 'Barbara 'qu'est-ce qu'elle a?'

Pupil: 'Un de soeur,

Plenty of hands go up but there are plenty of incorrect answers as well as wild
guess work

One hour on what was mainly repetition of old stuff. Most of them are still
struggling. Many lack basic learning strategies.

Teacher cannot assume even the most basic skills to be present, e.g. if
somebody does not mention any sisters∕brothers, they don't have any.
Much inattentiveness

420



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